Abstract
Dynamics of ramer and genet populations were analyzed by use of stochastic matrix models. Based on field data, population development and extinction rates during 50 simulated years were estimated for ramet populations of three speciesPotentilla anserina, Rubus saxatilis andLinnaea borealis. Only small initial populations (below 125–250 ramets), experienced a detectable risk of extinction within this time interval. ForP. anserina andR. saxatilis, population increase occurred in some simulations despite negative average growth rates. A model for stochastic genet dynamics was constructed by combining field data and hypothesized parameter values. Growth rate and population structure were insensitive to variation in disturbance intensity and frequency, whereas variation in recruitment affected population structure but only to a minor extent growth rate. Decreasing recruitment causes extinction of genet populations, but the time-scale for the decline is in the magnitude of centuries for initial genet populations of about 1000 individuals. Dynamics of genets in clonal plants thus incorporate processes occurring on widely different scales. Some implications of the results for models of population dynamics in long-lived clonal plants are discussed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barkham J. P. &Hance C. E. (1982) Population dynamics of the wild daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus). III. Implications of a computer model of 1000 years of population change.Journal of Ecology 70: 323–344.
Caswell H. (1989)Matrix Population Models: Construction, Analysis, and Interpretation. Sinauer, Sunderland.
Cook R. E. (1985) Growth and development in clonal plant populations. In.Population Biology and Evolution in Clonal Organisms (eds J. B. C. Jackson, L. W. Buss & R. E. Cook) pp. 254–296. Yale University Press, New Haven.
Crawley M. J. (1990) The population dynamics of plantsPhilosophical Transactions of the Royal Society London B 330: 125–240.
De Kroon H., Plaisier A. &Van Groenendael J. (1987) Density dependent simulation of the population dynamics of a perennial grassland speciesHypocheris radicata. Oikos 50: 3–12.
De Steven D. (1989) Genet and ramet demography ofOenocarpus mapora sspmapora, a clonal palm of Panamanian tropical moist forest.Journal of Ecology 77: 579–596.
Eriksson O. (1986) Survivorship, reproduction and dynamics of ramets, ofPotentilla anserina on a Baltic seashore meadow.Vegetatio 67: 17–25.
Eriksson O. (1987) Population biology of the stoloniferous plantPotentilla anserina. PhD thesis. University of Stockholm.
Eriksson O. (1988a) Ramet behaviour and population growth in the clonal herbPotentilla anserina.Journal of Ecology 76: 522–536.
Eriksson O. (1988b) Variation in growth rate in shoot populations of the clonal dwarf shrubLinnaea borealis.Holarctic Ecology 11: 259–266.
Eriksson O. (1989) Seedling dynamics and life histories in clonal plants.Oikos 55: 231–238.
Eriksson O. (1991) Population structure and dynamics of the clonal dwarf-shrubLinnaea borealis Journal of Vegetation Science 3: 61–68.
Eriksson O. &Bremer B. (1993) Genet dynamics of the clonal plantRubus saxatilis.Journal of Ecology 81: 533–542.
Eriksson O. &Ehrlén J. (1992) Seed and microsite limitation of plant populations.Oecologia 91: 360–364.
Goodman D. (1987) The demography of chance extinction. In:Viable Populations for Conservation (ed. M.E. Soulé) pp. 11–34. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge.
Harper J. L. (1977)Population Biology of Plants. Academic Press, London.
Inghe O. &Tamm C. O. (1985) Survival and flowering of perennial herbs. IV. The behaviour ofHepatica nobilis andSanicula europaea on permanent plots during 1943–1981.Oikos 45: 400–420.
Jelinski D. E. &Cheliak W. M. (1992) Genetic diversity and spatial subdivision ofPopulus tremuloides (Salicaceae) in a heterogeneous landscape.American Journal of Botany 79: 728–736.
Mace G. M. &Lande R. (1991) Assessing extinction threats: Towards a reevaluation of IUCN threatened species categories.Conservation Biology 5: 148–157.
Menges E. S. (1990) Population viability analysis for an endangered plant.Conservation Biology 4: 52–62.
Menges E. S. (1992) Stochastic modeling of extinction in plant populations. In:Conservation Biology: The theory and practice of nature conservation, preservation and management (eds P. L. Fiedler & S. K. Jain) pp. 253–275. Chapman & Hall, New York.
Oinonen E. (1967a) Sporal regeneration of bracken (Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn.) in Finland in the light of the dimensions and the age of its clones.Acta Forestalia Fennica 83: 1–96.
Oinonen E. (1967b) The correlation between the size of Finnish bracken (Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn.) clones and certain periods of site history.Acta Forestalia Fennica 83: 1–51.
Silvertown J. W. (1987)Introduction to Plant Population Ecology, 2nd edn. Longman, London.
Templeton A. R. &Levin D. A. (1979) Evolutionary consequences of seed pools.American Naturalist 114: 232–249.
Tuljapurkar S. D. (1982) Population dynamics in variable environments. II. Correlated environments, sensitivity analysis and dynamics.Theoretical Population Biology 21: 114–140.
Tuljapurkar S. D. &Orzack S. H. (1980) Population dynamics in variable environments. I. Long run growth rates and extinction.Theoretical Population Biology 18: 314–342.
Watkinson A. R. &Powell J. C. (1993) Seedling recruitment and the maintenance of clonal diversity in plant populations: A computer simulation ofRanunculus repens.Journal of Ecology 81: 707–717.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
About this article
Cite this article
Eriksson, O. Stochastic population dynamics of clonal plants: Numerical experiments with ramet and genet models. Ecol. Res. 9, 257–268 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02348412
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02348412